bostrom



vJuly-24, 1923.

E. A. BOSTROM CORING MACHINE Filed June 18 1921 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 July 24, 1923.

E. BosTRoM CORING MACHINE Filed June 18 1921 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 July 24, 1923.

E. A. BOSTROM CORING MACHINE Filed June 18. 1921 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 gwventoz E. A. BOSTROM CORING MACHINE July 24, 1 923.

1921 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed June 18 Patented July 24, 1923.

UNITED STATES PATENT IOFF'ICE.

EARNST L BOSTROM, OF GRIFFIN, GEORGIA, ASSIGNOR TO POMONA PRODUCTS cosine MACHINE.

Application filed June 18, 1921. Serial No. 478,609.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EARNST A. BosrnoM, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Griflin in the county of Spauld ing and State of Cieorgia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Coring Machines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had thereln to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to improvements in extracting seed from vegetables, particularly the Spanish pimento, the object being to extract the seed efficientlyand wittout injuring the body of the pimento. I attain this object by the mechanism described in the following specificationand illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan View of the machine;

Fig. 2 is a side view or elevation partly in section, illustrating the internal construction of the vacuum chamber or seed collector, and also the construction of the seed removing valve, that dumps the seed without admitting'air from the outside.

Fig. 3 is an end view of the machine;

Figs. 4 and 5 are enlarged views of the extracting mechanism partly in section, to more fully explain its construction;

Fig. 6 illustrates the valve motion which prevents air from entering except while removing seed;

Fig. 7 is a side view of the cutter head;

Fig. 8 is an end view of the cutter head; and

Fig. 9 is an enlarged sectional view showing how the cutter head enters the pimento.

In the following explanation similar let' ters or figures refer to similar parts through. out the several views. I i The frame A is constructed in a suitable way for supporting the various parts composing the machine as shown. Brepresents the main body or vacuum. chamber, to which are attached the suction heads H, as shown in Figs. 4 and .5. T is a suction tube extending from the suction head H, to cutter head C, at the same time serving as a means for revolving the cutter head'C, as hereinafter explained.

' The suction head H, constructed as shown in section in Figs. 4 and 5, has a rectan-' gular base with a square hole or opening in the bottom, and a round opening 2 on one side as shown in Figs. land 5, theopening forming a bearing for the inner end of suction tube T. This opening 2 is controlled by the valve 3 which swings on trunnions 4: and is operated from the outside by means of gears 5 and racks 6 as hereinafter explained.

The suction tube T has a collar 7 near its inner end, which with a soft washer 8 forms an airtight joint with suction head H, and carries a spiral gear 9 for the purpose of its rotation, which will be explained hereinafter. This suctiontube T is supported by a central bearing 10 and a set collar 11 for keeping it in place. The outerend of this tube T is threaded for the purpose of holding cutter head C. Cutter head '0 is constructed as shown in Figs. 7 and 8 with a base that screws on to end of suction tube T forming part of same, and having a hole or opening throughits center. The outer end of said cutter head is tapered down as shown, forming a sharp cutting edge around its central opening. A series of flutes or grooves 12 are formed around its circumference, and pass through the wall of the inner surface at the cutting edge, thus forming a serrated or toothed cutting edge as shown at 13. The purpose of said grooves or flutes is to admit air to the insideof the pimento as soon as the teeth out trough the wall of the outer pod.

Just in front and immediately at the end of the cutting edge of the cutter head C is a centering or guiding device 14 which is held in position by sliding rods 15 and springs 20 which in turn are supported and guided by sockets 16 attached to lugs 17 which are a part of bearing 10. Guide 1 1 has on its upper edge two lugs 18 to which is pivoted a curved arm 19 connecting guide 14 with the racks 6 for the purpose of operating valve 3 as hereinafter described.

Suction tube T and its cutter head C receive a rotary motion through spiral gears 9 and, 21. Gear 21 is located on shaft 22 and directly under gear 9 on suctiontube T.

Inside of main body or vacuumv chamber B at the bottom of same, is located a spiral conveyor 28, Fig. 2, attached to the main drivting shaft S, which extends from one end ofthe machine to the other, having the tight and loose driving pulleys 23 and 24'on one end, and a miter gear 30, Figs. 1 and 2, on,

the other end, said miter gear meshing a like gear on the seed removing valve D. The

seed removingvalveD is a flat circular box,

.the top-of which is" boltedto the bottom of thing dropping into compartments D at opening 25 to drop out when the revolution oi the compartment reaches opening 27. The rotary spider 26 has a spur gear cut on its upper edge, meshing a spur pinion on shaft 29 which through the miter gear 30 gives rotary motion to spider 26.

Through sprockets Stand 32 and chain 33-moti0n is communicated to shafts 22;

A l'langeiieis bolted over an opening cut in tlie main vacuum chamber B and communicates through pipe 35 with a positive suction blower or vacuum pump for the pun pose of exhausting the air from the vacuum chamber B:

Theoperation of the machine is as follows:

First the positive suction blower is'started exhausting the air from'main vacuum chamber B, the shaft S is started in motion by shifting the drive belt (not shown) on to tight pulley 24C; The pimento to be seeded is held by the two hands against the centering or guiding device 14: as shown at V, Fig. 4 by pressure on the centering device. The springs give away allowing the revolving cutter head to bore or cut its way into the pimento as shown in section in Fig. 8. At the sametime the valve is actuated through the arm 19, rack 6 and gear 5 opening the valve 3' so that the suction formed by the suction blower exhausting the vacuum chamber B pulls the seed out of the pimento. The seed cone as soon as it reaches the vacuum chamber, drops to the bottom of same, and is then conveyed by the conveyor to the dumping end' of the vacuum chamber where it drops through the opening 25 into the seed removing valve D where the seed is taken round to opening 27 and dropped into box, without permitting air to enter the vacuum chamber from this point. As soon as pressure is relieved from guide 14 the spring. 20 returns guide 14 to its first posi tion, at the same time closing valve 3 in suction head H which prevents air from entering except when the machine is in use for extracting seed. Thus any number of suc tionheads may be attached to the vacuum chamber, its length and number of suction heads being limited only by constructive re quirement 1 I claim:

1. incombination, a va'cuum chamber and means for maintaining a vacuum therein, a suction tube operatively connected at one end with. said vacuum chamber and having its other end open and exposed without encl0sure, a tubular cutter head on said outer end adapted to cut into the end 01 pimento peppers, said cutter-head being so proportioned that air under atmospheric pressure will pass into the fruit. and carry back the seed into the suction tube through the: inside 01" the cutter head, substantially as set forth.

2; In combination with a vacuum chamber a number of suction heads and suction tubes, having cutter heads at their outer ends for cutting into. the end of pimento peppers, for extracting. seedt'ronr same by atmospheric pressure and a normally closed valve for each tube adapted to be opened upon pressure of the fruit against the head'.

' 3. In a pimento seeding machine, the com.- bination of a vacuum chamber, a revolving suction tube and cutter l'iead with grooves for admitting air to the inside oi the pi mento, a centering device for holding the pimento in proper position for being seeded, a valve in the head arranged to automatically open when suction is desired; and a discharge valve arranged to discharge accunuilat-ion of seed without admitting air to the vacuum chamber, substantially as set forth.

4-. A fruit coring device com-prising a tube arranged to be forced into the fruit: to surround the core, and means for directing a fluid into the truit directly between the body of the fruit and the outside or the tube and out through the tube.

5. A; coring device for fruit having a relatively soft seed core and relatively firm fleshy wall, comprising a tube adapted to be forced into the fruit to surround the core and means on the outer surface of said tube for directing the flow of a fluid between and: in contact with the tube and the fleshl-y walls of the fruit.

6; In a fruit coring machine, a coring head having a single wall with fluid con.- ducting channels formed therein: along the outside across the end and through the mid dle, and means for forcing a fluid through said passage.

7. In a fruit coringmachine, a. low pres sure chamber, a tubular coring head communicating with said lowpressure chains her having fluid directing channels extend ing along the outside 0t its-walls andacross the end into communication with the center of the tube, and means for maintaining a difference of pressure betweenthe outside of said coring head and: said chamber.

8. In a fruit coring machine, alow pressure chamber, a tubular coring. head comsure chamber, and controlling means for saidv valve operated by the movement of said guard.

9. In a fruit coring machine a low pressure chamber, a tubular coring head communicating with said chamber, a valve controlling communication between said coring head and chamber, means formaintaining low pressure in said chamber relative to the atmosphere suflicient to cause fruit cores severed by said head to be drawn into,

the chamber, a discharge opening in said chamber, and means communicating with said discharge opening for locking the cores from said chamber without permitting direct communication between the chamber and atmosphere. a

10. A fruit coring machine as claimed in claim 9, having conveyor means for conveying the fruit cores to the discharge opening.

11. In a fruit coring machine, a tubular coring head having cutting teeth at the end thereof, and fluid directing channels extending along the outside walls and between the cutting teeth and the interior thereof arranged when the coring head enters the fruit to form a fluid passage extending along the outside of the cutting head between it and the body of the fruit and between the cutting teeth and the interior of the tubular coring head, and means for maintaining a reduced pressure within the coring head, relative to the outside pressure.

12. In a fruit coring machine, a rotatable cylindrical coring head having cutting teeth I on the outer edge thereof and adapted to cut its Way into the fruit to sever and surround the core, said coring head having grooves formed in the outer wall thereof communicating with the spaces between the cutting teeth in such manner that when the coring head is in the fruit the grooves will be covered by the body of the fruit to form a passage for a fluid extending between the coring head and the body of the fruit through the teeth and the core, means for rotating said coring head and means for maintaining a partial vacuum in the interior thereof.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

EARNST A. BOSTROM.

Witnesses:

JNo. H. POWER, J. P. MASON. g 

